Day 3-5 - Yangshuo

Yangshuo is a really chilled out little
town, and people come from all over China to chat with travellers and practice
their English. Make new friends while you tuck into a plate of beer fish or a
Vegemite sandwich on West Street (yes, you read right).

Explore the Yangshuo region on
bicycle and by foot - a photographer's
paradise

Hire bikes for half a day and ride past the limestone outcrops that jut up from the surrounding paddy fields

Stop in the villages and mingle with the locals

Hike up the famous Moon Hill and view the
surrounding countryside

Plenty of free time to relax in
the many cafes and restaurants that line Xi Jie (West Street), or shop
for a bargain in the marketplace

Catch the overnight train to Wuhan

Day 6-9 - Yangtze River Cruise

Your favourite bit of this cruise might be
the towering cliffs, spectacular sunsets or the famous Three Gorges. But let's
be honest, it'll probably be the Karaoke Room on your boat.

Day 6

Travel to Yichang - the gateway city to the
massive Three Gorges Dam

Take a stroll along the banks of the Yangtze
River and watch the sunset with the locals

Days 7-9

Embark on a riverboat trip

Be surrounded by sheer cliff faces one minute and passing a
thriving city or a deserted town the next

Make the most of the boat's viewing platform, bar, shop and dining room

Perhaps take one of the several on-shore excursions

Disembark at Fengdu and drive to the bustling and hilly city of
Chongqing and enjoy free time to explore

Day 10-12 - Chengdu - Giant Buddha

Get your stretchy pants out because this is
the home of Sichuan food. See the world's largest Buddha statue in Leshan and
meet China's most famous goths at the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base.

Travel to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, a province famous for its spicy food

For dinner, why not try the local
delicacy - Sichuan hotpot

Visit Leshan, situated
on the shores of the Min River

View the Giant Buddha (Dafo), located at the convergence of the
Dadu and Min rivers

Drive out to the Giant Panda
Breeding Research Base and seize a rare chance to glimpse this cute and cuddly icon

Board a sleeper train bound for Xian

Day 13-14 - Xian - Terracotta Warriors

The 6000-strong Terracotta Army was built
to guard the emperor's mausoleum. When he died his concubines, scribes, cooks
and servants were all buried alive with him. The afterlife can be a
lonely place.

Arrive in Xian, the capital of Shaanxi
province

Explore the awesome army of Terracotta
Warriors

Enjoy free time to wander around this historical city

Perhaps swing by the
Muslim Quarter - a
fascinating place to visit

Why not cycle along the top of the ancient city walls or climb the Bell
Tower

Embark on the sleeper train to Beijing

Day 15-16 - Beijing - Great Wall

Eat up before you hit the Great Wall. You need something to walk off,
right? Start with baozi (steamed buns), chuan'r (lamb kebabs) and
jiucai bing (green onion pancake).

Explore many of Beijing's main attractions

After entering through an archway
beyond Tiananmen Gate, spend the morning exploring The Forbidden City

Take a walk along the Great
Wall

Survey the spectacular
surrounding countryside from the Wall - the surrounding
views are amazing

Enjoy ample free time to discover the many other
sights of Beijing, such as the Summer Palace or the Temple of Heaven

Day 17 - Qufu

In your head, you're pronouncing it "Koo Foo", aren't you? Wrong. It's
Choo Foo. Confucius was born here, so try not to embarrass yourself by
saying it wrong.

Catch train to the birthplace of Confucius, Qufu

Visit Confucius Temple, Confucius Family Mansion and Cemetery of Confucius

• Overnight trains from Guangzhou to Guilin, Guilin to Wuhan, Chengdu to Xian and Xian to Beijing. Accommodation in six-berth, air-conditioned cabins.

Not Included

International flights, arrival and departure transfers, departure and airport taxes, visas, all other meals, all optional tours or activities during free time, transfers outside of the tour program, travel insurance, tips and items of a personal nature.

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Reviews

Past Travellers' Ratings & Comments

At the end of each trip, we ask our travellers to provide feedback. We publish the positive, negative and neutral feedback on this page to give you an overall idea of what to expect on this trip.

Don't Forget your Chopsticks

David - , 20 Nov, 2009

4

Overall Rating

It is worth doing this trip because it includes the major sights, but also the benefit of seeing the Yellow Mountains, a very beautiful area.

21 days

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